Warning to ‘morning after’ drink drivers

Warning to 'morning after' drink drivers

Safety experts are calling for drivers to be aware of their alcohol levels the morning after drinking and not just on the night.

The warning comes after the release of the Department for Transport’s latest THINK! Drink Drive campaign, which states that ‘A second drink could double your chance of being in a fatal collision’,

Around 20% of the UK’s drink-driving convictions are as a result of ‘morning after’ breath tests, and in 2014 alone, alcohol accounted for 5,650 accidents and 8,320 casualties on UK roads.

Suzannah Robin, alcohol safety expert and Sales & Training Manager at AlcoDigital – the UK’s leading supplier of breathalyzers - said: “It is absolutely right people should be thinking about the consequences of drinking and driving and the significant difference on safety that two drinks can have versus one.

“However, they also need to consider that even if they don’t drink and drive immediately after consuming alcohol, they may still be affected the following morning.

“In the same way that everyone loses weight at different rates, we all process alcohol differently so if you have been drinking say four or five pints of beer or consumed a bottle of wine during the evening you may not be safe to drive the following morning, even if you think you feel OK.”

One of the most recent introductions to the UK retail market is the single use breathalyzer. In France, it has been a legal requirement for all motorists to keep a breathalyzer in their vehicle since 2012. Following its implementation the breathalyzer law has made a significant contribution to road safety in France with the CISR [comité interministériel de sécurité routière] reporting an 8% decrease in road deaths in 2013 – the lowest level since 1948.

“If you are planning to drive the morning after drinking you should be testing yourself before you get behind the wheel to ensure you are safe to do so. Single use breathalyzers are the cheapest and simplest solution available to ensure that you, your friends and family stay safe - particularly the morning after - and are perfect for keeping in a drawer at home, your handbag or the glove box of a car,” Ms Robin added.